Pith Helmet, Military Counterpart

The civilian pith helmet usually had the same dimensions and outline as its contemporary military counterpart though it lacked decorative extras such as badges. It was worn by men and women, old and young, both on formal and casual occasions, until the Second World War. Until the 1930s there was a widespread assumption that wearing this form of headdress was necessary for people of European origin to avoid sunstroke in the tropicsindigenous peoples were assumed to have acquired natural immunity over many generations. Modern medical opinion holds that some form of wide brimmed but light headdress is highly advisable in strong sunlight for people of all races to avoid skin cancers and overheating. Another civilian use has been as a form of standard issue headgear for U.S. government employees in warmer climates. For example, in the U.S. letter carriers employed by the postal service frequently wear a government issued white (in some places light blue) pith helmet when delivering the mail on foot in climates such as South Carolina, Florida, Southern California, Arizona, and Hawaii.

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